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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · spell · hide · mark · nail · swing · kid · fan

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — magic
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spell — letters
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com